State support for Organic Agriculture (outside UK)

How it works in Denmark

The situation in Denmark, where the government is now spending 40 million kroners a year to support organic farming, is instructive. The late Christian Christensen, when he was Danish Minister of the Environment, gave a speech to an international bankers' conference, which was summarised in Mercury Newsletter 16:

The government is now spending 40 million kroners a year to support organic farming.

The Minister opened his talk by highlighting the two main problems facing agriculture today in Denmark:

(1) The pollution of the rivers and groundwater, and thus drinking water, resulting from the use of artificial fertilisers which leach through the sandy soil; and

(2) The cutbacks by the EC of farm production.

The Danish Ministries of the Environment and Agriculture have commissioned a joint enquiry into the place of organic and biodynamic agriculture in dealing with these twin problems.

The main problem in converting to alternative systems of agriculture is the resulting drop in farmers' income. Although five years ago this was estimated at 30%, today, with the increased demand for organic produce, this might be as little as 10%.

Results of the research show that three-quarters of Danish agriculture could be conducted organically. It would cost the economy a total of 3 billion kroner per year and would result in a rise of 15% in the price of homegrown food. The Danes spend 16% of their income on food. If the consumers were to pay the full price rise it would result in this proportion rising to 18%. What would they get as a result?

(1) 50,000 more people would be employed in agriculture.

(2) The balance of trade would improve even if prices of imports remained static.

(3) Energy costs would be halved.

(4) The use of nitrates would be reduced by between 10% and 40%.

(5) Food consumed would be purer.

(6) The health of both people and animals would be improved.

The conversion from chemical to organic and biodynamic farming methods would be best effected in dairy and wheat production. It would be difficult to apply to the Danish pig population which numbers 10 million, and will rise by the end of the century to 20 million.

Cooperation between farmers will be essential, particularly in the transport of slurry from the dairy to the wheat farmers (this does not apply to biodynamic cultivation). This cooperation may be difficult to achieve, particularly where there are farmers employing bad methods.

The transition to organic farming will be funded by the State. A new law in Denmark authorised grants for conversion, research and the provision of advice. A group of farmers in South Jutland has been the first to benefit from the new law. They started production of organic milk, which quickly sold out in the local shops. People want organic produce, they are frightened of the poisons modern chemical farming introduces into their food, and are looking for 'clean food'.

'The transition to organic farming will be funded by the State. '

Milk is the first step, but the Minister is confident that meat will follow quickly, together with vegetables. He recently enquired of a market stallholder whether he could sell his organic produce. The answer came back, 'No problem to sell, but we can't obtain enough.' With the government's annual budget of 40 million kroner for organic conversions, the main barrier will be fear of the unknown.

Published by Mercury Provident, Orlingbury House, Lewes Road, Forest Row, Sussex RH18 5AA (tel 0342 82 3739).

The Danish Act on Organic Farm Production (No. 363) established a Council for Organic Agriculture, with each of the following contributing one representative: the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of the Environment, the Association of Biodynamic Farmers, the National Association of Organic Farmers, the Joint Committee for Organic/Biodynamic Farming, the Association of Danish Farmers, the National Federation of Smallholders and the Consumers' Council.

The Danish conversion grants administered by this Council for Organic Agriculture amount to 1500 kroners per converted hectare in the first year, 800 in the second and 300 in the third. The conversion must cover the entire farm and be implemented within four years, with a commitment to continue as an organic farm for at least two years subsequently.

The Danish Ministry of Agriculture, Copenhagen (tel 010 451 923301).

The USA, Germany and Austria

- The State of Texas has changed to promoting low-chemical pest management.

Information from Pacific News Service/Utne Reader, USA.

'In Iowa, in a major policy turn-round, a $64.5m groundwater protection programme is funded partly by fees on chemical manufacturers and taxes on nitrogen fertilisers'

- In Iowa, in a major policy turn-round, a $64.5m groundwater protection programme funded partly by fees on chemical manufacturers and taxes on nitrogen fertilisers, is supporting research into alternatives to chemical dependency, and the development of practices that require lower inputs and protect the soil. A similar clause to put a tax on pesticides was defeated. Information from the Centre for Rural Affairs Newsletter/Utne Reader, USA.
- In Germany, the government of Nordheim-Westfallen, a populous region with 100,000 farmers, has committed itself to enact a policy of soil protection and ecologically acceptable agriculture, emphasising the need to protect the soil from toxic emissions, and for research into ways of applying sewage and animal wastes to farmland, for the prevention of soil erosion and the use of integrated biological pest control methods in place of pesticides.

Information from 'Far From Paradise' by John Seymour and Herbert Girardet, published by Green Print, an imprint of the Merlin Press.

'In Austria, the government has brought in a package of measures for the whole country, assisting organic farmers to increase the quality of food'

- In Austria, the government has brought in a package of measures for the whole country, assisting organic farmers to increase the quality of food, create new jobs on the land, help towards conservation and reduce the country's import bill for fertilisers. In the Alpine National Park, farmers and villagers in the region of Neukirchen am Grossvenediger have formulated an ecologically benign development plan, including low input farming, traditional crafts and waste recycling.

Information extracted from the book 'After the Crash' by Guy Dauncey (Green Print, an imprint of the Merlin Press, L6-99).

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